“THE SCOREBOARD”
NHL PLAYOFFS
2024 STANLEY CUP FINAL
FLORIDA PANTHERS (1A) VS. EDMONTON OILERS (2P)
GAME 1: FLORIDA 3 EDMONTON 0
GAME 2: FLORIDA 1 EDMONTON 1
GAME 3: FLORIDA 4 EDMONTON 3
GAME 4: EDMONTON 8 FLORIDA 1
+GAME 5: EDMONTON 5 FLORIDA 3
+GAME 6: PANTHERS AT OILERS — JUNE 21, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
+GAME 7: OILERS AT PANTHERS — JUNE 24, 8 P.M. (ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS)
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
ATLANTA 7 DETROIT 0
PITTSBURGH 1 CINCINNATI 0
MIAMI 4 ST. LOUIS 3
SAN DIEGO 5 PHILADELPHIA 2
CHICAGO CUBS 6 SAN FRANCISCO 5
WASHINGTON 3 ARIZONA 1
CLEVELAND 8 SEATTLE 0
BALTIMORE 7 NY YANKEES 6 (10)
BOSTON 7 TORONTO 3
TAMPA BAY 3 MINNESOTA 2 (10)
TEXAS 5 NY METS 3
HOUSTON 4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1
COLORADO 7 LA DODGERS 6
MILWAUKEE 2 LA ANGELS 0
OAKLAND 5 KANSAS CITY 1
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES
INDIANAPOLIS 2 IOWA 0
LAKE COUNTY 6 SOUTH BEND 3
WISCONSIN 8 FT. WAYNE 3
COLLEGE BASEBALL-NCAA TOURNAMENT WORLD SERIES
FLORIDA 15 KENTUCKY 4
TENNESSEE 7 FLORIDA STATE 2
TEXAS A&M 6 FLORIDA 0
WNBA SCORES
INDIANA 88 WASHINGTON 81
MINNESOTA 68 ATLANTA 55
LAS VEGAS 94 SEATTLE 83
MLS
NASHVILLE 2 TORONTO 1
ATLANTA 1 DC 0
NY RED BULLS 2 MONTRÉAL 2
MIAMI 2 COLUMBUS 1
CHARLOTTE 2 ORLANDO CITY 2
CINCINNATI 4 PHILADELPHIA 3
COLORADO 3 ST. LOUIS 0
SALT LAKE 4 KANSAS CITY 3
SEATTLE 2 HOUSTON 2
DALLAS 5 MINNESOTA 3
AUSTIN 1 LOS ANGELES 1
PORTLAND 2 SAN JOSE 1
LA GALAXY 2 NEW YORK CITY 0
TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES
NBA NEWS
DETROIT PISTONS FIRE COACH MONTY WILLIAMS AFTER ONE SEASON THAT ENDED WITH NBA’S WORST RECORD
The Detroit Pistons fired coach Monty Williams on Wednesday after just one season that ended with an NBA-worst 14-68 record.
“Decisions like these are difficult to make, and I want to thank Monty for his hard work and dedication,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “Coaching has many dynamic challenges that emerge during a season and Monty always handled those with grace. However, after reviewing our performance carefully and assessing our current position as an organization, we will chart a new course moving forward.”
Last season was the first in what was a six-year, $78.5 million contract for Williams — one that, at the time, was the richest ever given to an NBA coach. The team started a front office rebuild when the season ended, including the hiring of Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations, the departure of general manager Troy Weaver and now a vacancy at head coach.
The firing continues a wildly strange run for Williams. In 2021, as coach of the Suns, he went to the NBA Finals, where Phoenix led 2-0 before falling in six games to Milwaukee. In 2022, he was the NBA’s coach of the year in runaway voting. In 2023, the Suns fired him and now, in 2024, the Pistons have done the same.
The record for total value of a coaching contract has since been eclipsed; Miami gave Erik Spoelstra an eight-year extension worth $120 million earlier this year.
This was, by any measure, a disaster of a season for the Pistons. They started 2-1 and didn’t win another game for the next two months.
A 28-game losing streak, the longest ever in a single season in NBA history and tied for the longest ever when factoring in multiple seasons, turned the season into a debacle. The Pistons’ longest winning streak was two games (done on three occasions) and the roster was constantly in flux. Detroit used 31 different players over the course of the season and 36 different starting lineups and lost 39 times by double digits.
The vacancy in Detroit is the third active one in the NBA, with Cleveland and the Los Angeles Lakers still seeking coaches. The Pistons’ move comes a week before the start of the NBA draft, with Detroit set to make the fifth overall pick on June 26 — someone that should be able to further enhance a young core led by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren.
Those players, all 22 or younger, were the only three Pistons to start at least 60 games this past season.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to bring a championship-caliber team to Detroit,” Gores said. “We will be diligent and swift in our search for a new head coach to lead our exciting young core of players and will continue our vision towards building a best-in-class front office that will help us achieve sustainable success.”
WNBA NEWS
LA SPARKS ROOKIE CAMERON BRINK TEARS ACL IN LEFT KNEE
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Los Angeles rookie Cameron Brink tore the ACL in her left knee, the Sparks announced Wednesday.
The rookie forward had to be helped off the court after suffering the injury in the first quarter of the Sparks’ 79-70 loss to Connecticut on Tuesday night. Brink played under four minutes and committed one foul before getting hurt.
Once over to the sideline, the No. 2 pick in the draft hobbled toward the locker room, but was forced to stop as a result of the pain. A pair of Sparks personnel lifted Brink off her feet and carried her to the locker room.
The 22-year-old Brink came into the game averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in her first season for Los Angeles (4-11). She’s tied with A’ja Wilson for the second-most blocks in the WNBA.
“Except for the 2019 season I’ve lost a starter to injury every single year I’ve been a head coach in this league,” Curt Miller said. “You just have to have the mentality of next person up and rally around it.”
Brink is on the U.S. 3×3 team for the Paris Olympics and a replacement will have to be named for her.
“Our thoughts are with Cameron as we wish her a speedy recovery. As a result of Cam’s injury, USA Basketball will begin the process of selecting an athlete to join the 2024 USA 3×3 Women’s National Team,” USA Basketball said in a statement. “We hope to see Cam back on the court and representing the red, white and blue soon.”
It’s the second consecutive Olympics that the U.S. team will have to replace one of its original players. Katie Lou Samuelson missed the 2021 Tokyo Games after she caught COVID right before the Olympics. She was replaced by Jackie Young, who helped the team go on to win a gold medal.
The Sparks head to New York to play two games against the Liberty on Thursday and Saturday.
YOUNG, ACES DELIVER EMPHATIC WIN OVER STORM, 94-83
Jackie Young had a massive night, firing in 32 points while leading the Las Vegas Aces to a comfortable 94-83 home win over the Seattle Storm.
Young, a two-time All-Star, connected on 11-for-19 shots to lead a re-energized Aces squad. Las Vegas had lost four of its last five games but grabbed a 5-3 lead on a Young 3-pointer a minute and 39 seconds into the game and never trailed again.
Las Vegas (7-6) also drew substantial contributions from A’ja Wilson, who finished with 27 points and nine rebounds, with 16 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Las Vegas also got a solid outing from Kelsey Plum, who had 11 points and eight assists. Tiffany Hayes and reserve Alysha Clark each chipped in 10 points. The Aces connected on 55.6 percent of their shots, including 8-for-20 from 3-point range.
The Aces further benefited from the return of point guard Chelsea Gray, who had missed the entire season to date with a left leg injury. Gray had a point and seven assists in 15 minutes of playing time, drawing a large ovation when she first checked in late in the first quarter.
Seattle (9-6) trailed by a double-digit margin seven minutes into the game and never really drew close. The Storm was hampered by a 1-point effort from leading scorer Jewell Loyd, who shot 0-for-9 from the field. This was Loyd’s first regular-season game with fewer than 10 points since August 7, 2022, when she had 1 point in a loss to the Aces.
Seattle tallied 21 points from Nneka Ogwumike on 9-for-17 shooting. Center Ezi Magbegor added a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Jordan Horston tallied 18 points and Skylar Diggins-Smith dropped in 10. The Storm had 15 turnovers.
The Aces rode a hot-shooting first quarter to the win, racking up seven assists to no turnovers in the opening stanza as they reached a 29-16 advantage. Seattle pulled within 39-30 on an Ogwumike jumper with 3:40 to go in the first half, but never drew closer. Las Vegas extended the lead as high as 20 points.
LYNX DEFENSE SMOTHERS DREAM
Wednesday in Minneapolis, forward Napheesa Collier’s 16 points led the Minnesota Lynx to a 68-55 win over the Atlanta Dream.
The victory for Minnesota (12-3) puts the side in a tie for second place in the league, behind the Connecticut Sun. For Atlanta (6-7), it didn’t only lose the game but star guard Rhyne Howard. In the third quarter, the 2022 WNBA No. 1 draft pick landed on the foot of Courtney Williams, rolling her left ankle and not returning to the game.
Minnesota entered Wednesday with a 40.5 percent league-leading efficiency from three-point range. Instead of deep shooting though, it was inside work and defense that overcame Atlanta. Minnesota had a season low 35.5 percent shooting night, but the Lynx outscored Atlanta 36-22 in the paint, while only shooting 31.8 percent from deep.
A catalyst of that paint presence was Williams. The veteran point guard led all players with six assists in the win, finding teammates making moves into the paint. Guard Kayla McBride added eight points with forward Bridget Carleton scoring 14 points with eight rebounds.
Star Atlanta guards Howard and Allisha Gray struggled to score on a season-low 28.8 percent team shooting night. The duo that averaged 32 points per game entering Wednesday combined for 13 points. Gray shot 1-for-16 from the floor, with Howard going 1-for-9 before leaving due to injury. It was veteran center Tina Charles leading all Dream players with a 14-point and 10-rebound double-double performance.
Atlanta entered the game needing to overcome a late injury scratch. Guard and Dream sixth player Aerial Powers didn’t play, missing the game due to illness. Minnesota capitalized, outscoring Atlanta 19-6 in bench points. Minnesota’s Dorka Juhasz scored 10 of those points, along with 10 rebounds.
In the first half, the Lynx defense held the Dream to 26.5 percent shooting. Minnesota used that defense and opportune scoring to build a 12-point lead with 7:41 left in the half. However, Atlanta climbed back into the game, cutting the halftime margin to five.
Forward Nia Coffey led all players with 11 points in the second quarter, going 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. The rest of the Atlanta roster went 1-for-12 from three-point range in the first half. The Dream ended the evening going 4-for-22 from deep.
FEVER KEEP ROLLING WITH VICTORY OVER MYSTICS
Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 22 points and the Indiana Fever won for the fifth time in seven games by beating the Washington Mystics 88-81 on Wednesday night in Indianapolis.
Rookie Caitlin Clark stuffed the stat sheet for Indiana (6-10), adding 18 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. NaLyssa Smith contributed 11 points as the Fever canned 50.8 percent of their shots from the field and finished with a 37-31 advantage on the boards.
Ariel Atkins pumped in a game-high 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting for Washington (2-13), which suffered its 10th loss by nine points or less. Karlie Samuelson added 16 points and five assists, while Stefanie Dolson scored 14 points.
The Mystics never led but stayed close for the majority of the game. They got within 70-68 with 7:03 left after a three-point play from Emily Engstler, but Indiana rattled off the next seven points, with Clark draining a 3-pointer from the right wing with 5:05 remaining to build a 77-68 cushion.
Washington sank 11 3-pointers in the final three periods but converted just 41.4 percent of its attempts from the field for the game. Julie Vanloo collected eight of the Mystics’ 26 assists.
Indiana was in control for most of the first three quarters, never trailing, but never putting Washington away, either. It was able to open up a 21-17 lead after one frame by scoring via post-ups and drives, a strategy that served it well all night.
The Mystics found their footing offensively in the second quarter by cashing in from deep. After going 0-for-8 from long range in the first quarter, Washington made six 3-pointers in the second, allowing it to be within 46-43 at the break.
The Fever used the foul line to create a little separation in the third quarter, getting there 11 times and sinking eight free throws. Clark sank two foul shots at the 1:02 mark to give Indiana a 68-59 advantage going into the fourth.
BASEBALL NEWS
MLB ROUNDUP: O’S TOP YANKS IN GERRIT COLE’S ’24 DEBUT
Cedric Mullins hit an RBI single with one out in the 10th inning off Clay Holmes as the Baltimore Orioles blew a four-run lead before holding on for a 7-6 victory over the host New York Yankees on Wednesday night, spoiling the season debut of right-hander Gerrit Cole.
Mullins snapped the tie by hitting a bloop single to center field on a 1-1 pitch by Holmes (1-3) that scored automatic runner Anthony Santander ahead of the throw to the plate. Mullins stole third and gave the Orioles a 7-5 lead when catcher Jose Trevino’s throw sailed into left field.
Cole allowed two runs on three hits in four-plus innings in his first start since a right elbow injury. He struck out five and walked one during his 62-pitch outing.
The Yankees lost for the fourth time in six games and played without Aaron Judge. Judge was held out as a precaution after getting hit in the left hand in the third inning on Tuesday.
Cubs 6, Giants 5
Kyle Hendricks struck out a season-high eight batters in his first start in over a month as Chicago held on to beat visiting San Francisco in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Hendricks (1-4) limited the Giants to one run on two hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings in his first start since May 17. Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson each had two hits for the Cubs, and they hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning.
Jorge Soler hit a grand slam in the eighth inning for San Francisco to make it a one-run game. Right-hander Spencer Bivens (1-1) took the loss.
Pirates 1, Reds 0
Bryan Reynolds extended his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest in the majors this season, with a two-out homer in the eighth inning, and Pittsburgh edged visiting Cincinnati in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Reynolds deposited a 1-0 changeup from Nick Martinez (2-5) over the center field wall for his 10th homer this season. Reynolds’ 17-game hitting streak matches his career high.
Colin Holderman (3-0) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the win after Mitch Keller went seven innings, allowing two hits. David Bednar retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his 16th save. Hunter Green went 6 1/3 innings for the Reds, allowing only two hits.
Braves 7, Tigers 0
Sean Murphy hit two home runs and Reynaldo Lopez (5-2) pitched five scoreless innings to spark host Atlanta to a shutout of Detroit and a sweep of their three-game series.
The Braves have won three straight and six of their past seven. The Tigers have lost four in a row.
Murphy went 4-for-4 with four RBI, three runs scored and produced the fourth multi-homer game of his career. He hit a two-run homer over the brick wall in right field in the third inning, his first career hit against Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (8-3). His other homer was a two-run shot in the fifth.
Marlins 4, Cardinals 3
Otto Lopez laced an opposite field walk-off single over reliever Ryan Fernandez (0-2) to score Tim Anderson and deliver host Miami to a win over St. Louis, the second in the three-game series.
With two outs in the ninth, Lopez lined a 2-0 pitch to right field between first and second base and Cardinals right fielder Alec Burleson lost the handle on the ball attempting to make a throw to the plate as Anderson came around from second base.
Yonny Chirinos made his Marlins debut and went five innings, allowing eight hits and two runs in a no-decision. Tanner Scott (6-5) earned the win with a ninth inning of relief.
Padres 5, Phillies 2
Kyle Higashioka had a three-run triple as visiting San Diego defeated Philadelphia to take the series finale.
The Padres broke a five-game losing streak and avoided being swept in six games this season by Philadelphia. They also denied the Phillies, who lost for the fifth time in eight games, their National League-best 50th win.
Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez and San Diego right-hander Matt Waldron started off by allowing only a solo homer each for six innings: by rookie Jackson Merrill for the Padres and Bryce Harper for the Phillies. Waldron (5-6) got the win and Robert Suarez earned his 18th save. Orion Kerkering (2-1) took the loss.
Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 1
Jesse Winker hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning and Washington rallied for a win against visiting Arizona.
With Washington trailing 1-0, Lane Thomas drew a two-out walk against Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt, and Winker homered to center on an 0-1 fastball to give Washington the lead.
Derek Law (4-2) pitched two perfect innings of relief for the win, and Kyle Finnegan worked the ninth for his 21st save of the year. Brandon Pfaadt (3-6) worked 6 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs on five hits and four walks.
Guardians 8, Mariners 0
Tanner Bibee pitched six scoreless innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters as Cleveland defeated visiting Seattle.
Josh Naylor hit two home runs to surpass Jose Ramirez for the team lead and Steven Kwan also went deep for the Guardians, who snapped a three-game skid.
The Mariners had a four-game winning streak come to an end and suffered just their second loss in the past 10 games.
Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 3
Enmanuel Valdez and Jarren Duran hit solo home runs and visiting Boston defeated Toronto.
Duran also had an RBI single to help the Red Sox sweep the three-game series and extend their winning streak to five games.
Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-6) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out four in 5 2/3 innings.
Astros 4, White Sox 1
Hunter Brown threw six quality innings and Cesar Salazar drove in a pair of runs on two hits, helping Houston defeat host Chicago.
Brown (4-5) allowed just one run on seven hits and struck out six in picking up his third consecutive win. Jose Altuve and Jake Meyers also had two hits each for the Astros, who have won two of their last three games.
Andrew Benintendi rapped a solo homer and Korey Lee and Luis Robert each had two hits for Chicago, which has lost seven of 10.
Rangers 5, Mets 3
Slumping Leody Taveras hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning to help struggling Texas defeat streaking New York in Arlington, Texas. Wyatt Langford had two hits and two RBIs for the Rangers, who snapped a five-game skid while halting New York’s season-best seven-game winning streak.
Taveras was just 3-for-49 this month when he came up against Drew Smith (1-1) with two outs in the seventh and Corey Seager on first. On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Taveras smacked the decisive homer to right-center, his fifth blast of the season.
Pete Alonso slugged a two-run homer for the Mets and has 10 RBIs over the past four games. But New York had just five hits two nights after racking up a season-best 22.
Rays 3, Twins 2 (10 innings)
Randy Arozarena scored on a throwing error with two outs in the top of the 10th inning as visiting Tampa Bay rallied for a win over Minnesota.
Jonny DeLuca hit a grounder to third baseman Royce Lewis, who hit a solo homer earlier but pulled a throw wide of first base. Carlos Santana’s futile dive couldn’t keep the ball from bouncing into foul ground as Arozarena made it home from second.
Jason Adam (4-1) worked a 1-2-3 ninth and Phil Maton did the same in the 10th to earn his second save. Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley scattered seven hits and allowed two runs in six innings, while Minnesota’s Joe Ryan permitted six hits and a run in six innings.
Brewers 2, Angels 0
Freddy Peralta threw six scoreless innings and got just enough support from his offense as Milwaukee beat Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Peralta (5-4) outpitched counterpart Tyler Anderson (6-7), who gave up just one run in seven innings but took the loss. Peralta gave up three hits — all singles –while striking out eight and walking two in 101 pitches.
The Angels had opportunities against Peralta, but the right-hander kept Los Angeles hitless (0 for 7) with runners in scoring position.
Rockies 7, Dodgers 6
Brenton Doyle hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning as Colorado rallied to beat Los Angeles in Denver. It was redemption for Colorado, which blew a five-run, ninth-inning lead Tuesday night in an 11-9 loss.
Michael Toglia homered and tripled, Ryan McMahon and Adael Amador each had two hits and Jalen Beeks (3-3) got the win with a scoreless inning of relief for the Rockies.
Shohei Ohtani had two hits and drove in three runs and Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages had two hits each for Los Angeles.
Athletics 5, Royals 1
Luis Medina snapped a personal 11-month losing streak, Brent Rooker drove in a pair of runs and Oakland made it two straight over visiting Kansas City.
Zack Gelof homered and Miguel Andujar collected three hits, scored a run and drove in another for the A’s, who won back-to-back games for the first time since their six-game winning streak that began in late April.
Bobby Witt Jr. had a double and a single for the Royals, who dropped their third straight. Kyle Isbel also had two of Kansas City’s eight hits.
COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
TEXAS A&M BLANKS FLORIDA, ADVANCES TO MCWS FINALS
Justin Lamkin struck out nine in five scoreless innings, leading No. 3 Texas A&M to a 6-0 win over Florida on Wednesday and a berth in the Men’s College World Series championship series in Omaha, Neb.
Caden Sorrell homered and drove in three runs for the Aggies (52-13), who will oppose No. 1 Tennessee (58-12) in the best-of-three final series that begins Saturday.
Texas A&M, playing in its eighth MCWS, is shooting for its first national title.
Lamkin (3-2) gave up three hits and one walk while throwing 70 pitches.
Chris Cortez replaced Lamkin in the sixth inning and walked both batters he faced before Josh Stewart came on and closed out the frame. Stewart also handled the seventh inning before Evan Ashenbeck pitched hitless ball in the eighth and ninth to complete the shutout.
Texas A&M jumped in front in the first inning. Two walks, a strikeout and another walk loaded the bases before Ted Burton walked to knock in the opening run. The Gators then replaced Liam Peterson (3-6) with Fisher Jameson on the mound, and Sorrell greeted the reliever with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
Gavin Grahovac’s RBI double in the fifth inning increased the gap to 3-0, and Sorrell added a two-run homer in the sixth.
Kaeden Kent, son of former major league All-Star Jeff Kent, capped the scoring with a ninth-inning RBI single. Kent and Grahovac each had two of the Aggies’ six hits.
Jac Caglianone had two of the Gators’ four hits.
Earlier Wednesday, Florida beat No. 2 Kentucky 15-4 in an elimination game to earn the shot to meet Texas A&M. The Aggies had earlier defeated the Gators 3-2 on June 15.
TENNESSEE DOWNS FLORIDA ST., ADVANCES TO COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS
Blake Burke went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs as No. 1 seed Tennessee eliminated eighth-seeded Florida State 7-2 in Omaha, Neb., on Wednesday to advance to the College World Series finals starting Saturday.
Christian Moore and Billy Amick each added two hits, two runs and an RBI for the Volunteers (58-12), who will face Texas A&M or Florida for a title.
Tennessee starter Zander Sechrist (5-1) went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out three. Kirby Connell and Nate Snead blanked the Seminoles (49-17) the rest of the way.
With the victory, Tennessee became the first No. 1 national seed in 15 years to reach the CWS finals.
John Abraham (5-2) started for Florida State and lasted just one-third of an inning, giving up three runs (two earned) and two hits. He walked two and didn’t record a strikeout. Brennen Oxford and Joe Charles combined for 7 2/3 innings of three-run ball out of the bullpen. Conner Whittaker gave up a solo homer to Burke in the ninth with a solo homer.
Max Williams had two hits, and Daniel Cantu and Alex Lodise each went deep for the Seminoles.
Hunter Ensley had an RBI single as part of a three-run first for the Volunteers, who never looked back after taking the early lead. Burke singled home a run in the second in the second and Moore tripled home another in the fourth, putting Tennessee up 5-0.
After the Volunteers pushed their advantage to 6-0 in the top of the seventh, Cantu and Lodise hit back-to-back solo shots in the home half of the frame.
NHL NEWS
THE SHARKS ACQUIRE FORWARDS BARCLAY GOODROW AND TY DELLANDREA
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Sharks added some needed forward depth Wednesday to complement an upcoming youth movement, claiming Barclay Goodrow off waivers from the New York Rangers and acquiring Ty Dellandrea from Dallas in a trade.
General manager Mike Grier had been seeking to add veterans at forward to help ease the transition to the NHL for the projected No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Macklin Celebrini, and Will Smith, who was picked fourth overall last year and recently signed an entry level contract with San Jose.
The Sharks sent a 2025 fourth-round pick originally acquired from Winnipeg to acquire Dellandrea and were willing to take on Goodrow’s contract from the Rangers after he was placed on waivers Tuesday.
The 31-year-old Goodrow has been a valuable depth center on several long playoff runs going back to San Jose’s trip to the Western Conference final in 2019 when he scored an overtime goal in Game 7 of the first round against Vegas. He also played a key role on Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2020 and ’21 and helped New York reach the Eastern Conference final in ’22 and this postseason before losing to Florida.
The Toronto native has 169 points in 572 regular-season games and 24 more in 97 games in the playoffs since making his debut in the league in 2014.
The Sharks claiming Goodrow saves the Rangers $3.6 million against the salary cap each of the next three seasons as they look to retool after falling just short of making the Stanley Cup Final.
The 23-year-old Dellandrea played in 42 games this season for Dallas with two goals and seven assists. He ranked sixth among forwards on the team with 63 hits and had the fifth-most time on the penalty kill among Stars forwards.
He scored one goal in six playoff games for Dallas this season.
Dellandrea was picked 13th overall by the Stars in 2018 but has never put up big offensive numbers in Dallas. He has played in 151 career games in the NHL with 14 goals and 28 assists. He also has four goals in 24 career playoff games.
Dellandrea is set to be a restricted free agent in July but the Sharks will have his arbitration rights.
NFL NEWS
PACKERS RELEASE JACK PODLESNY AS THEY REDUCE THEIR KICKING COMPETITION TO 2 CANDIDATES
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers released Jack Podlesny on Wednesday, narrowing their kicking competition to two players a week after their minicamp.
Podlesny’s exit leaves incumbent Anders Carlson and former Minnesota Viking Greg Joseph as the only two kickers on Green Bay’s roster.
The Packers had signed Podlesny on Jan. 24, four days after Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter of a 24-21 NFC divisional playoff loss at San Francisco. They signed Joseph two months later as they attempted to create more competition for Carlson, who struggled as a rookie last season.
Podlesny made 82.4% of his field-goal attempts during his college career at Georgia. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in May 2023 but was released during training camp.
The Packers drafted Carlson out of Auburn in the sixth round last year to take over for Mason Crosby, the leading scorer in franchise history.
Carlson went 27 of 33 on field-goal attempts — including 7 of 13 from at least 40 yards — and 34 of 39 on extra points during the regular season last season. He was 2 of 3 on field-goal attempts and 7 of 8 on extra points in two playoff games.
Joseph was 24 of 30 on field-goal attempts — also going 7 of 13 from at least 40 yards — and was 36 of 38 on extra points for the Vikings last season.
OLYMPIC SWIM TRIALS
OLYMPIC CHAMP CAELEB DRESSEL FALLS SHORT AT U.S. SWIM TRIALS
Reigning Olympic men’s 100-meter freestyle champion Caeleb Dressel won’t have a chance to defend that title next month in Paris after finishing in third place at the U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Dressel finished in third place at 47.53 seconds, with Chris Guiliano (47.38) and Jack Alexy (47.47) earning the U.S. team’s two berths in the Olympic 100 freestyle field.
However, the result gives Dressel a spot on the U.S. 4×100 freestyle relay team, giving him a chance to win gold in that event for a third consecutive Olympics. After being part of two winning relay teams at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Dressel won both relays again in Tokyo in 2021 while adding golds in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
The top four in the U.S. trials will make up the 4×100 freestyle squad. In all events, the top two earn individual Olympic spots.
Also on Wednesday, 2016 Olympic women’s 100 freestyle winner Simone Manuel failed to make the U.S. squad as an individual, coming in fourth place at 53.25 seconds. She wound up behind Kate Douglass (52.56) and Torri Huske (52.93), who claimed the individual berths, and Gretchen Walsh (53.13), who also captured a relay spot.
Katie Ledecky easily won the women’s 1,500 freestyle, finishing in 15:37.35. Katie Grimes came in second at 15:57.77, and Ashley Twichell wound up third in 16:08.07. Ledecky won four gold medals in Rio de Janeiro and added two more in Tokyo, and she already finished on top in Indianapolis in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle.
Matthew Fallon set a U.S. record in the men’s 200 breaststroke, winning in 2:06.54. The old mark of 2:07.17 was set by Josh Prenot in 2016. Josh Matheny took second place in 2:08.86.
Thomas Heilman won the men’s 200 butterfly in 1 minute, 54.50 seconds, with Luca Urlando taking second place at 1:55.08. Mason Laur (1:55.37) just missed out, finishing in third place.
The trials run through Sunday.
GOLF NEWS
JAY MONAHAN ON PGA TOUR-PIF TALKS: ‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told reporters Wednesday that discussions are headed in the right direction as it relates toward the potential unification in professional golf with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Monahan, however, said that he will not hold public negotiations as a means to further the issue.
“I know you’re eager to know more,” Monahan said, “but I will go back to the meeting that we had just two Fridays ago in New York where our entire transaction committee, including Tiger Woods and Adam Scott being in person, and Rory (McIlroy) dialing in from the Memorial Tournament alongside Yasir Al-Rumayyan and representatives of the PIF. It was a very productive discussion.”
Monahan noted that “regular dialogue” exists between the PGA Tour and PIF, even going so far as to reveal that he was included on a call at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
“So, I would like to give you more, but we’re, I would say to you that there were a lot of important aspects that we talked about in that meeting, aspects that will be important toward a final agreement that we got consensus on, and there are a number of areas that we recognize that we weren’t going to, but identified them, and that’s what we’re focused on and that’s what we’re working on,” he said.
Monahan also dismissed the notion of any misconceptions about the discussions between the two entities.
“I mean, there are a lot of people (who) seem to think that there are things that are happening that aren’t happening, but ultimately we’re the arbiters of that,” Monahan said. “Listen, I understand there’s a lot of attention and there’s going to be … a lot of opinions and they’re probably gonna be a lot of rumors. And it’s part of the position I and all of us find ourselves in … we’re focused on trying to get to the right outcome. The right outcome for players, for our fans, for the game of golf. That’s where our focus is.”
The PIF also funds LIV Golf, which lured numerous stars away from the PGA Tour with massive contracts and the promise of lucrative tournament prizes.
PGA Tour and PIF negotiations aside, Monahan also applauded the success of the Signature Events — and noted that this week’s Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., will be one again in 2025.
“Well, we have an agreement — this is the 18th year with Travelers, and we have an agreement, they’re in a 10-year agreement through 2030, and this event will be a Signature Event in 2025.”
LOADED FIELD PREPARES TO TACKLE TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP
The PGA Tour will stage its final signature event of the regular season at the Travelers Championship, beginning Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
It’s one last opportunity for the best players on tour to compete for a $20 million prize pool without a 36-hole cut, but the biggest story after last weekend might be who isn’t there, rather than who is.
Rory McIlroy is taking three weeks off from golf after blowing a late lead at the U.S. Open. The Northern Irishman bogeyed three of his final four holes, handing the major championship to Bryson DeChambeau; he left the course minutes after DeChambeau clinched it with a par save at the final hole.
“As a competitor all of us have had our highs and lows to a certain degree,” Xander Schauffele said of McIlroy this week. “It’s a tough spot. It for sure is a tough spot. I’m sure him and his team are discussing what happened and sometimes you just need to step away from it all and really try and be as objective as possible … he’s just, you know, he needs some time away to figure out what’s going on.”
Other than McIlroy, seven of the top eight players in the Official World Golf Ranking headline the field, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 3 Schauffele, winners of the first two majors of the season.
Scheffler’s triumph two weeks ago at the Memorial made him the first player since Justin Thomas in 2016-17 to win five tournaments in a PGA Tour season. Scheffler’s victories have come on the biggest stages: The Players Championship, the Masters and three signature events.
But Scheffler is coming off a humdrum T41 finish at the U.S. Open.
“Just a long week,” Scheffler said. “I would say it’s a tough week. I didn’t have my best stuff and that’s a pretty difficult golf course to try and make a lot of birdies and play some good golf around when you don’t have your best stuff.”
The defending champion is Keegan Bradley, a native of Vermont who was overjoyed last year to win New England’s only PGA Tour event.
“It’s fun to come back as a winner of the tournament, but I can think of when I was a 12-, 13-year-old kid coming here to watch David Duval play,” Bradley said Wednesday. “And then now getting to come as defending champion is pretty cool.”
Other recent winners at the short par-70, 6,835-yard track include Schauffele (2022), Harris English (2021) and Jordan Spieth (2017). Bradley shot a tournament record 23-under 257 to win last year. The winning score to par is generally in the teens.
The Travelers will mark the professional debut of 22-year-old Massachusetts native Michael Thorbjornsen, who earned his tour card via the PGA Tour University pathway this year and is in the field on a sponsor exemption. He finished fourth at the Travelers as an amateur in 2022.
TOP INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
PASCAL SIAKAM, PACERS AGREE ON $189M, FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT THAT CAN BE SIGNED IN JULY, AP SOURCE SAYS
Pascal Siakam intends to sign a four-year, $189.5 million contract to remain with the Indiana Pacers when the NBA’s offseason moratorium is lifted in early July, a person with knowledge of the talks between the sides told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor the club may announce the agreement by league rule. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, was first to report that Siakam decided to remain with the Pacers.
Free agency does not begin until June 30, but this agreement was not in violation of any league rules. Under terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, teams could start speaking to their own free agents one day after the conclusion of the NBA Finals. And the Pacers were clear going into the offseason that retaining Siakam was a top priority, so it was no surprise that they wanted to begin official talks quickly.
“The first very important step is to begin recruiting Pascal Siakam in earnest,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said a few weeks ago, shortly after the Pacers’ season ended. “That will start today with exit meetings. He’s a great player. He was tremendous for us.”
Siakam — a two-time All-Star and part of the Toronto team that won the 2019 NBA title — would be in line to make about $42 million next season and around $53 million in 2027-28, the final year of the new deal.
The Pacers acquired the 30-year-old power forward in a January trade, and he quickly became a major part of the team that would reach the Eastern Conference finals before falling to eventual NBA champion Boston. Siakam shot 55% from the field and 38% from 3-point range in 41 regular-season games with Indiana this past season.
Counting his time in Toronto, Siakam averaged 21.7 points and 7.1 rebounds this past season. The Pacers will have him and guard Tyrese Haliburton — who is about to enter the start of a $245 million, five-year deal that was agreed upon last summer — as their franchise cornerstones going forward.
Carlisle said he still considered this past season to be Year 2 of a rebuild in Indiana, but he noted that the acquisitions of Siakam and Haliburton (who was traded to Indiana in February 2022) fast-tracked the plan.
“The fact that all these pieces fit well together put us in a strong position this year,” Carlisle said when the season ended.
INDIANA FEVER
CAITLIN CLARK DIDN’T ASK TO BE A CULTURAL BATTERING RAM
(SCOTT STINSON-THE SCORE)
During the period when LeBron James would annually embarrass the Toronto Raptors in the NBA playoffs, he was once asked in a postgame press conference about the racial abuse that Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones received at a game at Fenway Park in Boston that week.
In the moment, it seemed like a perfectly bizarre question to put to a basketball player, especially as it ended by asking James, “What must be done to eradicate racism from our society?”
Good game, LeBron. Now, please solve racism. And also inequality, the melting polar ice cap, and the disappearance of the A-list romantic comedy.
James, though, took it in stride like a bounce pass on a fast break. He spoke about trying to teach his children to be respectful to others and went on at some length about racism, ending with the point that those who have a platform should speak out and try to influence young people, “leading them the best way we can.”
It was a thoughtful response, but LeBron was used to the demands of the media machine. He was 32 at the time, in his 14th NBA season, with multiple championships and MVP awards to his credit.
He was in a different place, that is, to where Caitlin Clark is today.
Clark, the 22-year-old WNBA rookie and most famous women’s basketball player on the planet, can’t seem to go more than a couple of days without being at the center of another media storm.
Last week, she was asked about being used as a weapon in the culture wars, where certain commentators point to her treatment by Black opponents as proof of some kind of league-sanctioned anti-white bent. Clark said she tried not to pay attention to any of that stuff, that her focus was on basketball.
That position lasted a few hours, as critics blasted her refusal to engage. DiJonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun succinctly concluded: “Silence is a luxury.”
Clark later said, before her Indiana Fever tipped off, that every player in the league “deserves the same amount of respect” and that “people should not be using my name to push those agendas.”
But that wasn’t the end of it. Clark was still criticized for not speaking out sooner. “You don’t get to hide behind basketball when you’ve been anointed the transcendent, rising tide who will lift the WNBA to greater prosperity,” admonished one The Athletic columnist.
But “hiding behind basketball” could also be characterized as “avoiding the cesspool that is social media.” If Clark is trying to keep her head down and not get caught up in the media swirl that surrounds her, especially in the corners of the internet where racism and homophobia run rampant, that seems reasonable for someone who’s been a professional athlete for a matter of weeks.
It’s also not unusual for athletes to avoid weighty subjects in places like post-practice scrums and pregame availabilities, where the back-and-forth with reporters can be fast and the potential for a poorly phrased answer is considerable. Not everyone’s LeBron, willing to lean back with a microphone and expound on the issues of the day.
If Clark has a defining trait in the non-basketball aspects of her young career, it’s her evident desire to not become more of a media focus than she already is.
When USA Basketball last week announced a roster for the Paris Olympics that didn’t include Clark, it set off days of coverage on whether she deserved a spot, and whether her presence was important for marketing reasons. She didn’t weigh in on any of that, saying her exclusion was incentive to keep working and that one day she hoped to realize the Olympic dream.
A few days later, after an incident in a Fever-Sky game in which Angel Reese – the closest thing Clark has to a nemesis – attempted a block and made contact with her head, Clark didn’t try to make it a thing. “It’s just part of basketball,” she said. “She’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block. It happens.”
Her dedication to delivering boring quotes is one of the reasons why the degree of her stardom is a little hard to explain at this point. There are other examples of athletes whose celebrity quickly outpaces their competitive accomplishments – Tim Tebow comes to mind, as do any number of influencers-turned-boxers – but they usually fan the media flames, at least a little. And while Clark had a stellar college career and has been a good WNBA rookie, she hasn’t been Tiger-Woods-romps-to-Masters-victory good in her initial foray into the pros.
But maybe none of that matters at this point. Clark’s a star, and she gets talked and written about because of that – including this piece right here – and the stardom grows a bit more and the cycle continues. Which may be why missing out on the Olympics will be a blessing. Instead of daily questions about her role, and outsized coverage of a player on the end of the bench, she’ll have a monthlong break while the WNBA shuts down. The firestorm that took off with her Iowa Hawkeyes’ run to the NCAA title game and continued straight into the pros will finally lack for oxygen.
The culture-war types may even find something else to be outraged about, and the second half of the WNBA season would be less about Clark as a cipher for someone’s daily gripe and more about whether she can get Indiana into the playoffs.
Probably not. But it’s nice to imagine.
GAME RECAP: FEVER SECURE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE HOME WIN ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever (6-10) defeated the Washington Mystics, 88-81, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday night for its first four-game home winning streak since the 2015 regular season.
WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week Aliyah Boston, along with Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana in scoring on Wednesday with 22 points each. Boston shot 8-of-11 from the floor and went 5-of-5 from the free throw line, while Mitchell also shot 8-of-11 and recorded a season-high four made 3-point field goals. Boston pulled down eight rebounds, while Mitchell grabbed three rebounds to go along with one assist.
Fever rookie guard Caitlin Clark recorded the second double-double of her career as she tallied 18 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, six assists and tied a career-high four steals. Fever forward NaLyssa Smith added 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists and Fever guard Erica Wheeler came off the bench and tied a season-high with nine points in the victory. Wednesday marked the third consecutive game Boston, Mitchell and Smith all scored in double figures and was the second consecutive game the Fever shot better than 50 percent from the floor. Indiana outscored Washington in paint points, 38-26, and outrebounded them, 37-31.
For Washington (2-13), Wednesday marked the end of its two-game winning streak and second regular season loss against the Fever. Mystics guard Ariel Atkins finished with a game-high 27 points – her third-consecutive contest leading Washington in scoring. Atkins also passed Ivory Latta for fourth on the Mystics all-time assists list. Mystics guard Karlie Samuelson followed with 16 points, five assists and three rebounds, and Mystics center Stefanie Dolson trailed with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Mystics rookie forward Aaliyah Edwards was held to four points and four rebounds. Washington outscored Indiana in bench points, 14-11, and fast break points, 12-9.
UP NEXT
The Fever travel to take on the Atlanta Dream on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Friday’s game has been moved to State Farm Arena and will be broadcast on ION.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
ASHCRAFT, FEIGL LEAD INDIANS IN SHUTOUT OF I-CUBS
INDIANAPOLIS – Behind Braxton Ashcraft’s first start at Victory Field, Brady Feigl’s dominance with runners in scoring position and Brent Honeywell’s ninth-inning save, the Indianapolis Indians shut out the Iowa Cubs 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Ashcraft, making his second Triple-A start for Indianapolis (31-38), cruised through his first four innings with just three hits, one walk and four strikeouts before taking to the mound for the top of the fifth. Back-to-back leadoff walks and an error by second baseman Andrés Alvarez loaded the bases, but a heads up play by shortstop Liover Peguero nabbed the go-ahead run at the plate on a fielder’s choice.
Feigl then entered the game and recorded the next two outs on eight total pitches, closing out Ashcraft’s line as a scoreless outing. The dominance from the pitching staff continued from there, with Feigl, Ryder Ryan, Ben Heller (W, 2-1) and Honeywell (S, 6) combining for the final four frames.
Scoreless through seven and a half innings, the Indians offense broke through for its second win over the I-Cubs (31-40) this series. With two batters on and one out after Alvarez was caught stretching a double into a triple, second baseman Chase Strumpf dropped the ball on a fielder’s choice and Liover Peguero raced home as the go-ahead run. A wild pitch with the bases juiced then plated Malcom Nuñez.
Kyle McGowin and Riley Martin combined for 11 strikeouts and 7.0 shutout innings to begin the game. Michael Arias (L, 1-1) recorded two outs in the eighth before being relieved by Edwin Escobar.
The Indians and I-Cubs continue their six-game series at Victory Field on Thursday night at 7:05 PM ET. RHP Jake Woodford (1-3, 5.01) is set to take the mound for Indy while Iowa has yet to name a starter.
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
USA PUT UP ANOTHER DOMINANT U18 WOMEN’S AMERICUP EFFORT OVER MEXICO
The USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team improved to 3-0 at the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup with a 115-20 win over Mexico Wednesday at Coliseo Bicentenario in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The team will continue to the tournament quarterfinals as the top seed to emerge from Group B.
The Americans set off to the races in the opening minutes of their final group play matchup. On the way to a commanding 33-6 edge after the first 10 minutes, it was Class of 2025 five-star recruit, 6-0 guard Jasmine Davidson, who stepped up to the plate for the USA, stamping her mark all over the action.
Davidson’s versatility was on display – at the 6:02 mark of the opening frame, she blocked a shot, grabbed the defensive board, then drove the length of the court and through traffic in the paint to dish to Joyce Edwards for an easy bucket. She knocked in nine points with three assists in the first half, and finished with 14 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting and a game-high seven assists on the afternoon.
The Americans adjusted to tighten their offensive hinges in the second quarter, after allowing six Mexico takeaways in the first. USA head coach Teri Moren’s team cleaned up their ball movement to comfortably control the game’s pace for the remainder of the match-up.
Edwards and point guard Kayleigh Heckel also emerged as leaders of the red, white and blue in the first half, as per usual. Edwards battled on the low block to add 11 points before halftime, while Heckel excelled in the transition game and involved her teammates to contribute 11 points and three assists in the USA’s 63-13 advantage by the intermission. The duo combined for 32 points on the afternoon.
The second half of play saw the Americans continue their dominant display, and once again piece together scoring contributions from all 12 players. The USA held Mexico to just seven points in the latter half, soaring to a 95-point win — the program’s first 90+ point margin in the U18 Women’s AmeriCup since 2004.
The Americans took advantage of high-percentage shots and played bully ball on the low block all game long, connecting 56 points in the paint. Duke signee Arianna Roberson arose as an impact player in the USA’s control on the inside, as the 6-4 forward struck a rhythm early and finished the match-up with 14 points and 7 boards.
“I’ve found my groove,” Roberson said. “The first game was, you could say testing the waters, obviously it is different competition over here, so learning how to play as a team and knowing each other’s weaknesses and strengths, then using that to our advantage is great. It has helped me as a player build up and build up for these games that are upcoming.”
With each asset playing to their strengths, the USA’s third win of the group-play stage was built on the chemistry and contributions of the entire roster. Sienna Betts and Zakiyah Johnson added 10 points apiece, while Jordan Lee and Leah Macy matched each other with eight points each. Sarah Strong was a force on the glass, snatching 10 rebounds and producing eight points.
As the top seed from Group B, the USA will continue onto the quarter finals on Friday, June 19, averaging 104.7 points per game with an average victory margin of 73.7 points through three games. The Americans will continue their quest for gold against the bottom seed of Group A, to be determined later today.
NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL
KRIS GANEFF NAMED NOTRE DAME SOFTBALL HEAD COACH
SOUTH BEND, IN – Former softball Monogram winner and current member of the University of Notre Dame softball program Kris Ganeff ‘99 has been selected as the fourth head coach in program history. Ganeff has been an integral part of the Fighting Irish success over the past 23 seasons, working as an assistant coach, associate coach and associate head coach during her tenure.
“We are incredibly proud to announce that Kris will be the next Head Coach of our softball program,” said University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua. “Kris is Notre Dame through and through, starting with her time as a student-athlete, continuing with her incredibly successful tenure as a coach under Deanna Gumpf and now as our team’s new leader. One would be hard-pressed to find an individual who loves the University and understands what it means to be a student-athlete at Notre Dame more than she does. She couldn’t be more prepared to successfully lead our softball program into the future.”
“I want to thank Father Bob (Dowd), Pete (Bevacqua) and Jen (Vining-Smith) for their confidence in me to lead this exceptional program.” Ganeff said, “Notre Dame means so much to me and my family, and I’m so excited to have the chance to lead this program. I want to thank Deanna (Gumpf) for her leadership, mentorship and friendship over the past 25 years and I can’t wait to continue to build on the program we’ve established.”
Ganeff joins Gumpf as the second coach in program history to be elevated to head coach after working as the associate head coach. She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having helped the Irish qualify for 21 NCAA Regionals, and 12 NCAA Regional finals. The Irish won 11 conference titles during Ganeff’s time in South Bend and have challenged for many more.
Ganeff has tutored several individual successes in her tenure, helping four student-athletes be named USA Softball National Player of the Year Finalists and three NFCA Freshman of the Year award finalists. Other awards for the Irish under Ganeff’s mentorship include 25 NFCA All-Americans, 105 NFCA All-Region selections, 49 first team honorees, 131 All-Conference selections, 68 first-team honorees, eight conference players of the year, four conference pitchers of the year, two conference freshmen of the year and one conference defensive player of the year.
Ganeff finished her playing career in 1999, earning All-BIG EAST and All-NFCA Mideast Region honors as a catcher. She hit a career-best seven home runs and threw out 16 base stealers in her final campaign. In her career, she accrued 157 hits, 10 homers and 75 RBI in four seasons.
A native of Westerville, Ohio, Ganeff earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Notre Dame and completed her master’s degree in physical education from Ball State in 2009.
Kris and her husband, John, reside in South Bend with their two daughters, Deven and Hayden.
TAYLOR ATHLETICS
GLOVER NAMED TU MEN’S SOCCER INTERIM HEAD COACH FOR 2024 SEASON
UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kyle Gould, announced on Wednesday that Drew Glover would lead the TU men’s soccer program as the interim head coach throughout the upcoming 2024 campaign.
“We are thankful that Drew is willing to lead the men’s soccer program this season,” said Gould. “Drew has been a valuable member of our coaching staff the past two years and has demonstrated a true care for our men’s soccer program and our student-athletes. We look forward to supporting him, and our team, this upcoming season and we are excited about the future of TU men’s soccer.”
Glover will take over for Gary Ross, who ended his 20-year tenure at the helm of the TU program in April to accept a full-time role within Taylor’s Advancement Office.
Glover has served as an assistant coach on staff for Ross over the past two years, after also serving as an assistant at Indiana Wesleyan for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Prior to his four years of coaching, Glover was a four-year starter on the pitch at Indiana Wesleyan, where he served as a team captain during his senior season.
Glover and the Trojans will begin their 2024 schedule with a match at Concordia on August 17 and are set to play their home opener against Defiance on August 21.
Taylor will open a national search following the season for its next head men’s soccer coach.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
5 – 1
June 20, 1912 – Who doesn’t like a game with last inning explosions of offense? Well maybe pitchers and their coaches, but for the rest of us the game between the New York Giants and the Boston Braves was one of those games where you didn’t to be the guy that left early. At the top of the 9th inning, the Giants were up 14-2. It sounds like a time where people may want to make their departure home right? Well those that did missed out on a whopping 17 total runs scored as the NY Giants won 21-12!
June 20, 1913 – I am thinking there may have been some angry players in this game. The AL’s New York franchise was in the first season of calling themselves the Yankees and they were facing their foes from Washington that went by the Senators moniker. We either had a Sen’s hurler that was a bit wild or one that knew exactly what he was doing as 3 of the first 4 Yankees batters were hit-by-pitches en route to a record 6 batters hit in the game. That AL record would stand until 1989 when the KC Royals and the Texas Rangers nailed batters 7 times. The overall record in the MLB for beaned batters in a contest in 9 from the season of 1886 when Washington and Pittsburgh played.
June 20, 1950 – Joe DiMaggio, sporting his Number 5 jersey uniform smacked his 2,000th hit in the Majors as he and the Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 8-2.
June 20, 1951 – Cleveland Indians slugger Bobby Avila wearing Number 1, hit 3 Home Runs, a double as well as a single against the Boston Red Sox.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Jim Thorpe Joins Merchant Marine
Yes the legendary gridiron star, Jim Thorpe joined the war effort at the age of 57! His patriotism spurned him to do his part but the only military organization that would allow him to join at that age was the Merchant Marine. His wife informed the paper that Thorpe signed up shortly after their 18 year old son Phillip had joined the Navy. According to SABR.org, the great gridiron star served on an ammunition ship during the war.
June 20, 1994 – Pro Football Hall of Fame running back O.J.Simpson is arraigned on the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Hall of Fame Birthdays for June 20
June 20, 1890 – Ann Arbor, Michigan – Johnny Maulbetsch who played for Adrian and the University of Michigan as a halfback was born. According to the National Football Foundation, Johnny played on the 1911 team at Adrian College; the team posted an 8-0 record. He enrolled at Michigan and played three years, 1914-16. The “Featherweight Fullback” as he was known, earned Walter Camp’s All-America honors as a sophomore in 1914. Maulbetsch was a handsome, gentle personality who brought a new finesse style of play to those days of hardnosed football. As a Wolverine captain and a senior in 1916, Maulbetsch led Michigan to one of its finest records. The Wolverines won 7 straight games, dominating their foes with wide-open offense and a stingy defense. Then, in the final two games of the campaign, Michigan grudgingly fell to Cornell (23-20) and Pennsylvania (10-7). Even today, Michigan football enthusiasts recall the special spirit Maulbetsch brought to the game. Following each spring practice, the John Maulbetsch Award is presented to the freshman candidate who best displays the desire Maulbetsch fostered during his playing days. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Johnny Maulbetsch into their legendary museum in 1973.
June 20, 1892 – Brooklyn, New York – Doug Bomeisler, who played end at Yale from 1910 to 1912, arrived into the world. Bomeisler is one of the best ends Yale ever had despite him being injured during his time in New Haven. The FootballFoundation.org web bio tells us that Doug in just the second game was hurt against Syracuse causing Bomeisler to miss the remainder of the 1910 season. During the 1911 season he dislocated his shoulder early in the season and played through the injury throughout the year. Against Princeton he injured his knee. Displaying a creative nature he invented a knee brace made of leather and steel that enabled him to continue playing. In naming “Bo” to his 1911 and 1912 All-America teams, Walter Camp described Bomeisler as, “powerful, thickset, fast, a terror to his opponents.” Doug Bomeisler received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
June 20, 1935 – Alliance, Ohio – Len Dawson Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket bearing Quarterback was selected to the Pro Bowl 7 times in his 19 year career. Dawson hails from Purdue University and went on to play professionally for the Steelers, the Browns, the Dallas Texans, and most notably for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Pro Football Hall of Fame informs us that eventhough Len Dawson ranks among the elite professional passers of all time with an 82.56 rating compiled over 19 seasons of pro play, he is perhaps best remembered for his gutsy play in leading the Chiefs to a 23-7 upset of the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Dawson connected on 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards in the contest, and his 46-yard pass completion to Otis Taylor wrapped up the surprise victory that evened the AFL-NFL portion of the Super Bowl series at two wins each. Dawson was named the game’s Most Valuable Player of the game. He was a four time passing champ, selected to 6 straight AFL All-Star games and amassed 28711 career passing yards with 239 touchdowns to his throwing credit. Mr. Dawson was also selected as a 1st Team All-Pro twice in his professional career. Len Dawson was selected to enter into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
June 20, 1949 – San Antonio, Texas – Texas A&M safety from 1968 to 1970, Dave Elmendorf was born. The NFF says in 1970, he was named All-America defensive back in football. He also was named Academic All-America and won a graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation. In addition to playing defensive back for Texas A&M in 1970, he returned 23 kickoffs for an average of 19.9 yards and returned 13 punts for an average of 10 yards. Dave Elmendorf was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997 after the National Football Foundation tabulated their votes. Dave graduated with honors and after that he played nine years of pro football with the Los Angeles Rams. Later he was both a radio and television broadcaster.
June 20, 1983 – Waterloo, Iowa – Darren Sproles the electric running back from Kansas State University was born. Darren was a First Team All-American in 2003, as he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting after leading the nation with 1,986 rushing yards. He was a solid three-time All-Big 12 performer, he earned first team honors in 2003 and 2004 and second team accolades in 2002. Sproles finished his career 11th all-time in rushing and sixth all-time in all-purpose yards in NCAA history. The National Football Foundation voters inducted Darren Sproles into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He was selected as a fourth round pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft and had success there and also later with the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles. The three-time Pro Bowl selection was a member of the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII. Currently ranked sixth in NFL history with 19,696 all-purpose yards, Sproles set the single-season league record with 2,696 in 2011.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
June 20
1912 — The New York Giants outslugged the Boston Braves 21-12 with the teams scoring a total of 17 runs in the ninth inning. The Giants scored seven runs to take a 21-2 lead and the Braves scored 10 runs in the ninth.
1932 — Philadelphia’s Doc Cramer hit six singles in six at-bats and Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx and Mule Haas each drove in four runs in the Athletics’ 18-11 win over the Chicago White Sox. Haas hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to put the A’s up 12-6.
1956 — Mickey Mantle hit two home runs into the right centerfield bleachers at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Mantle hit both blasts off Billy Hoeft in the 7-4 win. He became the first player to reach the bleachers since they were were built in the late 1930s.
1973 — San Francisco’s Bobby Bonds broke Lou Brock’s National League record for leadoff home runs. Bonds’ 22nd career leadoff home run came off Don Gullet in a 7-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
1973 — Chicago’s Cy Acosta becomes the first American League pitcher to bat since the designated hitter rule went into effect. Acosta strikes out in the eighth inning, and still gets the win in the White Sox’ 8-3 win over California.
1980 — Freddie Patek, one of baseball’s smallest players at 5-foot-5, hit three home runs and a double to lead the California Angels in a 20-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.
1992 — Kelly Saunders became the second woman to serve as a public address announcer at a major league game when she filled in for Rex Barney in Baltimore.
1994 — The Detroit Tigers’ string of 25 straight games hitting a home run ended in a 7-1 loss to Cleveland. The streak matched the major league mark set by the 1941 New York Yankees.
2004 — Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 500th home run of his career, off Matt Morris, to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0.
2007 — Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run, making him the fifth player to reach the milestone. Sosa, playing for the Texas Rangers following a year out of baseball, hit a solo homer off Jason Marquis. It came in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs, the team he played for from 1992-2004.
2009 — Two games ended on wild pitches in extra innings. Nate Schierholtz scored the winning run for San Francisco on a wild pitch by Jason Jennings with two outs in the 11th inning and the Giants beat the Texas Rangers 2-1. Earlier, the Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland 6-5 in 13 innings when Andres Blanco came home on Kerry Wood’s gaffe.
2011 — The Florida Marlins named Jack McKeon interim manager. The 80-year-old McKeon became the second-oldest manager in major league history. Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics in a suit, tie and straw hat until 1950, when he was 87.
2015 — Max Scherzer pitched a no-hitter, losing his perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning when he hit a batter in the Washington Nationals’ 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Scherzer dominated in retiring the first 26 batters and was one strike from throwing the 22nd perfect game in major league history since 1900. Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before Scherzer clipped him on the elbow with a breaking ball. Scherzer then retired Josh Harrison on a deep fly to left.
2016 — Colorado beat Miami 5-3 where eight solo homers accounted for all the runs in the game and set a major league record. Mark Reynolds hit two homers and Trevor Story, Nick Hundley and Charlie Blackmon also went deep for the Rockies. Marcell Ozuna homered twice and Giancarlo Stanton hit one for the Marlins. The previous MLB mark was five. The eight home runs were also the most in a game at Marlins Park since it opened in 2012. Five of the game’s first 13 batters connected.
2017 — Umpire Joe West worked his 5,000th major league game. West was behind the plate for a matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The 64-year-old, nicknamed “Cowboy” Joe, is the third umpire to work at least 5,000 games, joining Hall of Famer Bill Klem (5,375) and Bruce Froemming (5,163). West made his major league debut as a 23-year-old on Sept. 14, 1976, at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in a game between the Braves and Houston Astros. He joined the NL staff full time in 1978. His 40 seasons umpiring in the majors are the most by any umpire.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
June 20
1908 — Colin wins the Tidal Stakes at Sheepshead Bay and retires undefeated after 15 starts. No major American racehorse approaches this record until 1988, when Personal Ensign retires with a perfect 13-for-13 career.
1936 — Jesse Owens sets a 100-meter record of 10.2 seconds at a meet in Chicago.
1940 — Joe Louis stops Arturo Godoy in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium to retain the world heavyweight title.
1960 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Ingemar Johansson in the fifth round in New York to become the first boxer to regain the world heavyweight title.
1966 — Billy Casper beats Arnold Palmer by four strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.
1967 — Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, is convicted of violating the United States Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted. Clay is sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000, the maximum penalty for the offense. Ali remains free while his conviction is on appeal.
1968 — The Night of Speed. In a span of 2½ hours, the world record of 10 seconds for the 100 meters is broken by three men and tied by seven others at the AAU Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Calif. Jim Hines wins the first semifinal in a tight finish with Ronny Ray Smith, becoming the first man to break the 10-second barrier. Both runners are credited with a time of 9.9 seconds. Charlie Greene wins the second semifinal and then ties Hines’ 9.9 record in the final.
1976 — UEFA European Championship Final, Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Czechoslovakia upsets West Germany, 5-3 on penalties following 2-2 draw.
1980 — Roberto Duran wins a 15-round decision over Sugar Ray Leonard at Olympic Stadium in Montreal to win the WBC welterweight crown.
1982 — Tom Watson wins the U.S. Open by two strokes over Jack Nicklaus.
1982 — Pete Rose is 5th to appear in 3,000 games (Cobb, Musial, Aaron, Yaz).
1984 — Jockey Pat Day equals a thoroughbred racing record for an eight-race card when he wins seven races at Churchill Downs. Day’s only loss is in the fourth race.
1993 — Lee Janzen holes a 30-foot chip for birdie on No. 16 and adds birdies on the par-5 closing holes for a two-stroke victory over Payne Stewart in the U.S. Open. Janzen ties Jack Nicklaus’ record 272 total and Lee Trevino’s four straight rounds in the 60′s.
1993 — John Paxson hits a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left as the Chicago Bulls win their third consecutive NBA title with a 99-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the finals.
1994 — Ernie Els of South Africa becomes the first foreign winner of the U.S. Open since 1981, beating Loren Roberts on the second sudden-death hole.
1994 — Former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O.J. Simpson arraigned on murder of Nicole Simpson & Ronald Goldman.
2004 — Retief Goosen captures his second U.S. Open in four years. In the toughest final round at the U.S. Open in 22 years, Goosen closes with a 1-over 71 for a two-shot victory made possible when Phil Mickelson three-putts from 5 feet on the 17th.
2004 — Ken Griffey Jr. hits the 500th home run of his career, off Matt Morris, to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0.
2006 — Dwyane Wade caps his magnificent playoffs with 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead Miami past the Dallas Mavericks 95-92 as the Heat roar back from a two-game deficit to win the NBA finals in six games.
2013 — LeBron James has 37 points and 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat repeat as champions with a 95-88 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
2017 — Tiger Woods checks into a clinic to manage his pain medication and sleep disorder, following his arrest for driving under the influence.
2018 — Christiano Renaldo scores a goal against Morocco to become the all-time leading European goalscorer (85) in international compitition.
2019 — Duke power forward Zion Williamson is the first player chosen in the 2019 NBA Draft.
2020 — Tiz the Law, ridden by Manuel Franco, wins the 152nd Belmont Stakes becoming the first New York-bred horse to win the event since 1882.
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
| MLB REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Arizona at Washington | 1:05pm | YurView MASN2 MLB.TV Fubo |
| Seattle at Cleveland | 1:10pm | Root Sports Bally Sports Great Lakes MLB.TV Fubo |
| Tampa Bay at Minnesota | 1:10pm | Bally Sports Sun Bally Sports North MLB.TV Fubo |
| Houston at Chi. White Sox | 2:10pm | SCHN NBC Sports Chicago MLB.TV Fubo |
| LA Dodgers at Colorado | 3:10pm | SNLA Rockies.TV MLB.TV Fubo |
| Kansas City at Oakland | 3:37pm | Bally Sports Kansas City NBC Sports California MLB.TV Fubo |
| Baltimore at NY Yankees | 4:05pm | MASN YES MLB.TV Fubo |
| San Francisco at St. Louis | 7:15pm | FOX MLB.TV Fubo |
| Milwaukee at San Diego | 9:40pm | MLBN Bally Sports Wisconsin Padres.TV MLB.TV Fubo |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| DP World: KLM Open | 7:00am | GOLF |
| PGA: The Travelers | 3:00pm | GOLF |
| LPGA: Women’s PGA Championship | 6:00pm | GOLF |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Euro: Slovenia vs Serbia | 9:00am | FS1 VIX Fubo |
| UEFA Euro: Denmark vs England | 12:00pm | FS1 VIX Fubo |
| UEFA Euro: Spain vs Italy | 3:00pm | FOX VIX Fubo |
| Copa América: Argentina vs Canada | 8:00pm | FS1 Univision TUDN VIX Fubo |
| WNBA | TIME ET | TV |
| Dallas vs Chicago | 12:00pm | MARQ Bally Sports Southwest |
| Los Angeles vs New York | 7:00pm | Prime |
| SWIMMING | TIME ET | TV |
| US Olympic Trials | 8:00pm | NBC |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| London-ATP, Halle-ATP, Berlin-WTA & Birmingham-WTA Early Rounds | 5:00am | TENNIS |
| London-ATP, Halle-ATP, Berlin-WTA & Birmingham-WTA Early Rounds | 1:00pm | TENNIS |